Jim DeTro Issues facing Okanogan County Commissioner Dist 3

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Jim DeTro
for Okanogan County Commissioner, Dist. #3

Question: Why do you want to run for Okanogan County Commissioner, and be a politician? Answer: Because I care about Okanogan County and the issues it is facing. I believe that we need to work together and take a common sense approach to solving the issues. As for being a politician, I am not a polished politician, I am a concerned citizen, with a business background and a working knowledge of all corners of Okanogan County. I believe that someone with Common Sense needs to prevail, we need to run the county with the same fiscal conservativeness that you would run your business. The practice of taking from one account to cover the mistakes and/or bad decision in another needs to stop.
Question: Do you care about Jobs and the environment? Answer: Yes and I believe that you can create jobs with out destroying the environment or our rural life style. Several years ago I started one of the first wood recycling plants in Washington State, which I later sold, it is still operating as ABCO Wood Recycling in Spokane and CDA Idaho. I have been working on projects to produce clean energy, using bio-mass.
Question: What do you see as opportunities to create jobs? Answer: I feel that real jobs created by individuals in the private sector and not government will be what helps Okanogan County survive, first and foremost as a county commissioner I will make sure that when our taxes are being spent on county projects every effort should be made to hire local contractors instead of hiring out of area contractors, and using private local companies instead of placing more employees on the government payroll. Projects currently in the works and becoming reality are; The Canola project in Oroville, is one example, it has the potential to bring 30+ living wage jobs to Okanogan county, plus giving the local farmers an opportunity to grow a crop that be utilized and marketed locally... this project is being done by private individuals with out government subsidies. I believe that a co-gen plant that utilizes the slash in the forest to produce energy, is a viable option even more so now than when I started working on it 10 years ago with Tim King. This project would create jobs for people in the woods thinning and clearing the under brush to reduce the fire hazard in our forests, this also reduces the strain on the green house gasses entering our atmosphere as we experience with the burning slash piles and forest fires. These are jobs I feel that should be done by private contractors and not government (federal or state) employees. Jobs created would include, woods crews, equipment operators, truck drivers and the people required to run and maintain the power producing plant. Merchantable timber would be utilized and sold, creating a virtual no waste operation.
Question: What do you think of the federal and state government agencies and environmental groups purchasing large blocks of land in Okanogan County? Answer: We are the largest county in Washington state and less than 17% of our land is in private ownership. It is the privately owned and operated lands that we draw our taxes from to provide the funds we need to maintain and run the county. I also feel that the ranchers were the first true environmentalist, if they did not take care of the land there was nothing left for the next generation. Private landowners have a vested interest in the land and are the best stewards of the the land.
Question: Are you against the county using grant money? Answer: I'm not against the proper use of grant money, I am against the use of grant monies to try to balance the budget and to bail out failed projects. Grant money is not "free money", All grant money comes with Strings, sometimes the cost of what we have to give up out weighs the benefit, there are no free rides or quick fixes.
Question: What do you currently do to make a living? Your opponent has inferred that you need a job. Answer: She should get up at 3am and follow me through the day, I have 2 successful businesses; a growing trucking business hauling bio-solids, with a new contract for 10 years, this has enabled me to hire 3 more people to fill the new positions. I also have a heavy equipment brokerage, where I buy and sell equipment all over the world.
	The issues of Okanogan County are important to Jim, he has traveled to Olympia during each State Legislative session to meet with our local Senate and House representatives for the past 10 years. Jim is shown here with 7th Dist. State Representatives Shelly Short and Joel Kretz
Jim DeTro discussing the issues with Mike Armstrong 12th Dist. Representative and Bob Tollefson

Let Jim know what issues are important to you.
Your input, ideas, suggestions and support are important to him.

Jim DeTro
You may reach Jim by phone: (509) 322-6326 or Email at: detrojim@gmail.com
Committee to Elect Jim DeTro
70 Crumbacher
Tonasket,Wa 98855